‘Impacts Are Unknown’ For ‘Unprecedented’ Storm Flooding Parts Of Texas

As Harvey continues to linger over Texas, state officials are urging Texans to expect persistent rains and underscoring the potential for life-threatening floods for the next few days across the state.

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The National Weather Center is calling Tropical Storm Harvey “unprecedented” and says all impacts are unknown. The agency now reports rainfall from the storm could reach 50 inches — the highest ever recorded in Texas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is saying this “disaster is going to be a landmark event.”

The White House now says President Trump will visit Texas on Tuesday. It’s not clear exactly where he will visit, however.

Abbott says 3,000 National and Texas State Guard troops have been activated to assist in relief efforts. He says the state is providing everything the Houston area has asked for and is standing by to do more.

Houston 9-1-1- operators have received thousands of calls for rescue amid flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey, Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a news conference Sunday morning. He said the city is augmenting its resources with the help of state and federal agencies and opening additional shelters.

He urged people to stay in their homes, calling it the “safest place to be.”

“If you’re getting water, but it’s not life-threatening, simply stay put,” he said. “Do not get on the roads.”

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo reiterated that people need to stay indoors, saying every person who goes out who doesn’t need to go out “presents a new challenge. … [Emergency personnel] need to focus on people who are in need. Help us out.”

When asked why the city hadn’t ordered an evacuation before the storm, Turner said, “You simply cannot put 2.3 million people on the road. If you give an order to evacuate, you are creating a nightmare, especially when it’s not planned.”

“This is a storm that is testing the city of Houston,” Turner said. “The city will rise to the occasion.”

The officials did not confirm reports that four additional people had died in addition to a woman killed Saturday night.

Emergency officials were advising Houston residents to get on their roofs if necessary to escape “catastrophic flooding” Sunday, as rain from Harvey battered the city.

NPR’s Jeff Brady reports that two hours after the city opened two shelters last night, it had to close one because of high water.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it is conducting a search-and-rescue operation in the Houston area and has received more than 300 requests for aid.

Some parts of the city saw up to 6 inches of rain an hour overnight, the Office of Emergency Management said. Over the last 24 hours, the Houston/Galveston region has recorded 24.10 inches of rain, the National Weather Service said.

These are the rainfall totals in Houston in the last 24-hours. Unbelievable and getting worse. Harvey isn’t done. Not by a long shot. pic.twitter.com/KEuACZ03fu

Harris County Flood Control District official Jeff Lindner said the rainfall is exceeding levels seen in June 2001 during Tropical Storm Allison, The Associated Press reports. He called Harvey a “different animal” from Allison. The AP continues:

“[Lindner] says he’s most amazed that he’s getting reports ‘of water into second-story of apartments and homes.’ Considering Houston’s flat terrain, ‘it’s very rare to get that depth of water.'”

At least two people died as a result of Harvey, which was downgraded to a tropical storm after coming ashore as a Category 4 hurricane on Friday night. At least one person died in flooding in Harris County. Another person was killed in the city of Rockport, about 30 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, where the storm made landfall Friday.

Harvey was producing torrential rainfall as it slowly churned across southeastern Texas. The storm, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph at 6 a.m., was forecast to continue to “meander” through the middle of the week, AccuWeather Meteorologist Evan Duffey said.

Bastrop Judge Paul Pape placed Bastrop County under a declaration of disaster Saturday evening. Mandatory evacuations were announced for 548 and 545 SH 95 (North of Bastrop).

As the storm lingers, state officials are urging Texans to expect persistent rains and underscoring the potential for life-threatening floods. ERCOT reported more than 300,000 customers without power along the coast, where cleanup efforts are just beginning.

President Donald Trump tweeted that he would visit the region at some point.

I will be going to Texas as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety.